


Liberet Vos

by MissRedBean



Category: Final Fantasy Type-0
Genre: and me not accepting the ending, basically Machina atoning his sins, my past emotional trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-23
Updated: 2016-08-23
Packaged: 2018-08-10 14:09:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7848103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissRedBean/pseuds/MissRedBean
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On his deathbed, Machina Kunagiri the Agito of Orience had only one regret: he never repaid his fallen classmates. Arecia appeared, saying that there would be a chance for him to do it. Machina believed her words, and after a long time, the world was reborn. This new world was without the crystals and the legend of Agito, giving Class 0 and the rest of Orience a peace they’ve never tasted before. However, this world had its own calamity that neither him nor Arecia could foresee.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Liberet Vos

**Author's Note:**

> Posting my old fanfic here. Will continue if there’s any interest.
> 
> ***Standard fanfic disclaimer applied: no own except this story’s idea.***

**—THOSE WHO FELL, THOSE WHO LIVE ON—**

****The smooth sound of wheels echoed in the silent hall as Machina Kunagiri passed by. In his old age and weakening body, he could no longer walk on his own. But it was fine. This world didn’t need Machina Kunagiri of the Class 0 anymore. Trapped in a wheelchair was nothing but mere inconvenience.

He finally stopped at the end of the hall, where the monument of the Twelve Saviors of Orience stood. It was modeled after their arrival in their first battle. The whole wall in the hallway was decorated with the numerous amount of memory tags from all the fallen, both soldiers and civilian. Some came here to sightsee, some came to not forget. But for Machina this was not his true place for mourning.

With the last of his magic, Machina shot a thunder spell to the statue. The statue crackled loudly and shone briefly before a hidden door only known to few appeared on his left. Machina went through it, passing the antechamber, and finally arrived to a room similar to his old classroom. 

No, it was not similar. It was the very same room, renovated so it’d look the same as before it was destroyed(1). Machina could easily lost himself in nostalgia and pretended that he was still a student, if not for the large crystal located at the front. It was huge and slightly clearer than the crystal of Suzaku and other nations. However, it was not the crystal itself that had his attention, but its contents.

Inside the giant crystal was the twelve members of Class 0, sitting side by side with eyes closed and a peaceful expression on their face. It was easy to think that they were just sleeping, resting after such a long battle, but Machina couldn’t forget how motionless their body, still slightly warm under the touch of his hands when he first found them. No, he wouldn’t want to forget it. It was better this way.

The whole crystal thing was an accident on his and Rem’s part. Wanting to have a proper burial and ceremony for them but not having the time, both he and Rem casted blizzard on their bodies to preserve it. However, when the time came, they couldn’t melt it. Even with max level of Suzaku Fire. Then Kazuha came to investigate and they discovered that the ice had turned into something similar to a l’Cie’s crystal.

Bewildered, both Machina and Rem decided to keep this matter a secret, at least until Kazuha found the cause. Fifty years later, or precisely a month ago, Kazuha died without ever finding the cause.

“Everyone, I’ve come again,” Machina greeted. His wheelchair traveled over the board that had been placed over the steps so he could bring his wheelchair down. When he was directly in front of them, he took the book on his lap and showed it to them.

“I’ve finished writing about the war--about you all,” he said with pride. “With this, nobody will forget you. Even if I--or Rem--have gone. I’ve made arrangements with Quon. This book will be read in classrooms, taught to the children until they’re sick of hearing it.” 

The last part was said with humor in his tone. He could almost hear Queen and Deuce’s voices of approval and the protests from Nine and Jack, who could sympathize with the poor students. 

“However,” Machina continued with a slightly wistful tone, “I wish it was you all who told them this.”

This time Machina couldn’t imagine their reply. Were they satisfied after saving the whole Orience? Were they truly peaceful until the end? 

Had they wanted to live longer?

Machina could never find that answer--no matter how many times he came to this room to look at his friends’ face. He wasn’t even sure if he could still call them his friends, after all the things he had said and done to them. If he wasn’t so stupid, if he was more forgiving, if he was faster to arrive that day, would they still be alive?

“No, they wouldn’t.” 

Machina whipped his head to the speaker’s direction and found Arecia standing beside him, looking exactly the same as she was fifty years ago. Machina had never been surprised this much for a long time.

“Dr… Arecia..?” he asked slowly, unsure if this was real or an illusion made by his mind.

"Long time no see, Machina,” the bespectacled woman replied, as aloof to his person as he remembered. The only time she warmed up and kind was to her ‘children.’

There was so many questions Machina head, but the first and foremost was clearly this:

“Where have you been?” he asked tiredly. At first he was angry at her for disappearing at the hour of Finis, thinking that Class 0 could have survived if she was there when they came back(2). But now, now after he finished writing their history, that he realized all negative emotion that remained was to his own self.

“Away,” she answered cryptically. “You don’t look too good,” she commented after giving him a once over.

“I’m 67. What do you expect?” Machina asked in annoyance. He wondered why she didn’t change, but then he remembered that she could revive the dead Class 0. Looking deceptively young should be easy for a person like her. So Machina asked another question:

“Why do you come here?” ‘Why now?’ was left unsaid.

“I’ve come to a decision. I just came here to confirm if it’s a correct one or not.” 

Decision? What decision? To finally revive the children you had thrown away for this fifty years? If Machina was several decades younger, he’d say that outright.

“Are you going to revive them?” he asked instead.

Arecia shook her head. “No. There’s no place for them in this world. Not this time.” 

“No place for them?” Machina asked, his anger towards her coming back in full force. “How could that be? They’re the savior of Orience! They’d be accepted anywhere!”

“For a while, yes,” Arecia agreed, unfazed by his hostility. “But the life of a living legend is but a short and unhappy one. Tell me Machina, do you want them to live the rest of their lives to answer people’s expectation, even when they can’t do it anymore?”

Machina’s anger receded immediately, like a raging fire doused by a waterfall of cold water. He knew exactly what Arecia was talking about, since he was in that position for the last fifty years. While he enjoyed rebuilding Orience, there was little time left for Rem, his children, and himself. He couldn’t even go visit his first daughter when she gave birth his first grandchild. While the rest of Class 0 seemed to not know life outside missions, Machina wouldn’t want them to continue being another’s tool to use.

“They deserved their rest,” Machina admitted. “But they deserve to live happily too,” he added, not wanting to admit defeat yet. “It’s unfair,” he said in a smaller voice, almost unheard by Arecia. 

Arecia smiled for the first time since she came. It was the same smile she reserved for her children. 

“You are right,” she agreed. “Thank you Machina, for confirming my belief.” 

Then she turned away and started walking towards the door.

“Wait!” 

Arecia stopped, but didn’t turn around.

“What are you planning to do?” Machina asked.

“Nothing you would remember,” she said. “But rest assured. You’ll have the chance you’re seeking for.”

Normal people wouldn’t be satisfied with just that, but for Machina, it was more than enough. 

“Thank you,” he said with relief. For a strange reason, he could believe her even though he couldn’t think of what she could do to make it happen. He must be going senile in old age.

Long after Arecia left, Rem found Machina inside their ex-classroom. 

“There you are,” she said. Even in her old age, she never lost her kindness and gentleness. In fact, she became more kind and gentle, something Machina thought was impossible before they had children. For some reason, she was healthier than Machina even though she was as busy as him. Maybe because she didn’t have any regrets or guilt eating her from the inside.

“Are you showing them your work?” she asked when she came to his side. Her wrinkled hand felt soothing on Machina’s fragile shoulders.

“Yes,” Machina said in a croaked voice. Rem didn’t voice any concern over that. Many times she saw him staring at their fallen friends, looking like he was going to cry. It’d be no wonder if he finally gave up pretending to be strong and cried to his heart’s content. After all, even time didn’t make it easier for him to write the book. 

Both of them stare at the giant crystal in silence until Machina broke it.

“I’m sleepy.”

“Of course you are,” Rem said gently. “It’s already late. Let’s go back to our room.” 

Machina shook his head. “Not yet. Let’s stay a little longer.”

Rem was obviously puzzled by his request, but didn’t question him for it. She was so understanding that Machina almost took it for granted. That was why he always listened to her whenever she made a request. Even if that request was to hunt or breed an illusionary chocobo for his son.

Machina laid back on his wheelchair and started imagining the things he’d do to his friends when he met them again. The first thing that came up to his mind was pulling Ace away from his endless chain of study. Though he heard that the blonde loved to visit chocobo stables or be on the terrace to sing(3), he only ever saw him in the class and Crystarium, always with a book on his face. Machina swore then and there to get Ace enjoy life more.

As for what he could do with the rest, Machina had no idea. He just realized how little he knew about them outside their battle abilities. It must be because he never felt he belong in the class and unconsciously distanced himself from them. That had to be remedied when he met them again.

Slowly, his eyelids grew too heavy to open. Oh, right. He had to tell Rem about the good news before he forgot.

“Rem, we are going to meet them again.”

“I’m sure we will,” he heard her say. He vaguely wondered why she sounded so far away, but too sleepy to ponder upon it. He finally closed his eyes, feeling truly peaceful for the first time after this half century. 

_Seagull Calendar: Year 892_

_Machina Kunagiri, the Ruler of Orience, drew his last breath with a smile, his wife by his side._

Long long time after the Great War of Orience(4), the world’s sandclock turned for the last time.

 

**Author's Note:**

> (1) The whole Peristylium Suzaku itself was dedicated for the memorial. The monument was located at the Central Hall while the door of the Antechamber leading to the classroom, as well as the door to Crystarium, were hidden for safety purposes.
> 
> (2) In the novel, it's mentioned that whenever Class 0 died, Arecia would revive them. I assume that after certain time had passed, it'd be impossible to revive them. 
> 
> (3) In the game, if you sit on one of the benches in the terrace, Ace would comment that it might feel nice to sing there.
> 
> (4) Named it so because, you know, every country in Orience warred against each other in the game.


End file.
